From playing to praying, and back again

The Branigan family’s lives changed when their youngest daughter, Ava, received her T1D diagnosis.

Ava, a Boynton Beach resident, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 4 years old. She and big sister Lia celebrate the arrival of life-saving technology, a continuous glucose monitor, thanks to fundraising support from The PLAY School in 2021.

Our family had never experienced diabetes. We were unfamiliar with its types and risks. March 5, 2021, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, my four-year-old daughter Ava received news that would forever change our lives.

After weeks of exhibiting increased hunger and thirst (which we attributed to growth spurts), late-night bathroom breaks and mid-afternoon naps, I decided something must be wrong with her. She could barely stay awake at school and even at home. On a whim, I weighed her and discovered that she’d lost four pounds. (This was not a growth spurt!)

An unexpected diagnosis 

I called the pediatrician’s office immediately. At the time, COVID-19 had disrupted standard protocols everywhere, so our doctor requested a Telehealth appointment. I felt helpless, knowing that something was terribly wrong with my daughter and that our physician didn’t want to see her in person. Halfway through the session, I disconnected our feed and drove to the office.

When we arrived, the team was not ready for our situation. They confirmed high sugars but could not test Ava’s blood. At this point, she was barely conscious, her head lolling. My heart was ready to burst, hearing the team speak but not hearing them tell me how to help my child. 

I forced advice out of them. They said to skip the local emergency room.

I shoved my daughter into the car and began racing to a hospital with a pediatric emergency care team.

We didn’t make it.

Ava began vomiting uncontrollably. I detoured to the nearest emergency room, which stabilized her as best they could for an ambulance ride to the other hospital.

Ava’s blood sugar was 435. The doctors told us she was in DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis), which could be life-threatening. The words stole my breath.

Thankfully, the care team was excellent, and I trusted them with my precious cargo. Ava spent five days in the pediatric ICU (intensive care unit) before she was released to return home. 

Our “family” expands

This past March, we celebrated her first diabetes anniversary. Now 5 years old, Ava is brave, healthy and thriving. Her cheerful curiosity and easygoing approach brighten our days. Her personality sparkles (like most of her wardrobe!), and her humor illuminates every room she enters. 

I asked the Lord to give me a laid-back and chill child when I was pregnant. Ava is precisely that: giver and lover of love, dancing queen and social butterfly. I cannot imagine how different things would be if my child were not such a balanced sweetheart. 

Today she wears T1D like a champ. She proudly shows off her blood sugar monitor and explains her disease to anyone who asks.

Over the last year, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs (pun intended) and are grateful for the support we’ve received throughout. Our endocrinologist, diabetes trainer, school nurse, neighbors, friends, family—and new pediatrician.

I thank the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for helping my family reach this milestone. The organization’s representatives knew what to say and how to help me as a mother shortly after her diagnosis. They provided resources and other help, removing my shame of being so unaware of diabetes and replacing it with a caring community. 

I’m also grateful to my friend and neighbor, Noelle McIntyre, founder of True Floridian Realty, for being there. I knew her company gives back to the community with every transaction it closes, but I never expected them to include my family and JDRF in their efforts.

The April 2022 fundraiser is a gift. It means a lot to my husband, me, and all families affected by T1D. Ava and her sister Lia also love seeing how much our community cares.

As the girls and I say as we cry it out, “I hate diabetes. Diabetes sucks!”

But with the support of fundraisers like this and communities like ours, we know we are not alone.

Thank you, True Floridian Realty.